The present invention is directed to hangers and labels having hangers for suspending goods or packaging, and, more particularly, to hangers having increased strength and tear resistance and to labels including the hangers for identifying and displaying information regarding goods, such hangers and labels providing strong and reliable means for suspending the associated goods or packaging.
In administering certain medicines and pharmaceuticals, it is necessary to suspend a bottle or other package containing the pharmaceutical product from a hanger or like support. In particular, intravenously administered fluids are typically contained in a bottle which is suspended from an extended hanger to provide gravity induced flow of the fluid.
It is highly desirable that the container be conveniently and securely suspended. While various separate and detachable harnesses into which the container may be mounted have been used, such harnesses are relatively inconvenient as they require the step of placing the container in the harness or securing the harness about the container in addition to the step of mounting the harness on the hanger. Various other supports have been developed wherein a hanging loop is more or less permanently secured to the container with the hanging loop foldable between an extended position to receive the hanger and a closed position wherein the hanging loop is flat against the bottle. Typically, the hanging loop in the closed position lies adjacent the end of the bottle, often making the container unstable when placed on end. These designs are generally formed of shrink wrapped plastic or foil. As a result, they add considerable additional cost and weight to the overall packaging.
One alternative to the above disclosed hanging and labeling means is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,125 to Andel et al. The Andel reference discloses a label for identifying contents of intravenous feeding bottles having formed as an integral part thereof a hanging ring for suspending the bottle from an intravenous stand. The label is built up from at least one layer of film, a layer of printing ink, and a layer of adhesive. The handle is defined in the label by a pair of die cut lines that penetrate at least the one layer of film in the label. A release coating is applied between the layer of film in the bottle and a portion of the label defined by the handle to permit the handle to be peeled away from the bottle and the remaining portion of the label. As disclosed, the hanger is formed from a single layer of film, preferably polypropylene film.
Another label hanger is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,658 to Coward et al. Hang strips or tabs of the label may be formed of plastic material such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, and so on, or from high strength paper.
One problem commonly experienced with labels such as those disclosed in Andel et al. having film hangers for supporting IV bottles and the like is a tendency for the film of the hanger to tear. The films employed, typically polyester or polypropylene, are strong if there are no tears, nicks, or other imperfections therein and are able to support relatively large loads without requiring an inordinate film thickness. However, if such an imperfection is formed in the hanger or in the hanger attachment points, the properties of the polyester film will cause the imperfection to quickly propagate into a substantial tear when load is placed on the hanger. In practice, it is not uncommon for small cuts or nicks to be formed in the hanger film particularly along the hanger periphery, during manufacture, handling or when in service. When the damaged hanger is used to support an IV bottle, for example, the small nick or tear becomes a larger tear and often a complete severance of the hanger. As a result, the bottle is allowed to fall from the support. In the hospital environment, such a catastrophic failure of the hanger may in fact be life threatening. The risk of failure is further aggravated in that failure may result from even small, unnoticeable defects in the film.
On the other hand, in IV hanger labels such as those described in Coward et al. using high density polyethylene, there is a tendency for the hanger film to stretch when the IV bottle is suspended therefrom, particularly under heavy loads. This stretching presents a particular problem because the IV bottle may end up too low, thus impeding proper gravity flow of the fluid.
Another problem experienced with hanger labels as described above is that the base portions underlying the hangers must be printed such that the indicia thereon is not covered by the hangers, which are typically opaque. In particular, high density polyethylene is normally opaque and therefore hangers formed of high density polyethylene, for example, as described in Coward et al., will hide any underlying copy. As a result, the layout or copy generally used on the labels must be redesigned to accommodate the hangers. In particular, it may be necessary to relocated a bar code so that it may be read by an electronic scanner.
Thus, there exists a need for a label for identifying and displaying information regarding an article which provides means for suspending the article. There exists a need for such a label which overcomes the drawbacks and deficiencies of the prior art. In particular, there exists a need for such a label which includes a hanger which is strong, stretch resistant, and tear resistant. The hanger should be transparent so that it does not hide indicia on other portions of the label. There exists a need for such a label which may be conveniently and cost effectively manufactured. Further, there exists a need for a method and apparatus for forming such labels.
Generally, the present invention is directed to a hanger and a label incorporating the same which provides enhanced performance and security as compared with hangers and labels of the prior art. In particular, the hangers provide both improved resistance to tearing and improved resistance to stretching.
The present invention is directed to a label for displaying information regarding a container and suspending the container from a support. The label includes a base label having a lower surface. A base adhesive is disposed on the lower surface for affixing the label to the container. The label further includes a hanger having at least two interconnected legs defining an opening therebetween, each of the legs having a respective end. Each of the ends of the legs is secured to the base label. The hanger includes at least first and second superimposed layers. Preferably, each of the first and second layers are formed of polymeric film. Each of the first and second layers is preferably substantially transparent.
The hanger may be foldable about the ends between a stored position wherein the hanger lies adjacent an upper surface of the base label and a hanging position wherein the hanger is folded away from the base label for receiving the support through the opening.
Preferably, the first layer has a tensile strength greater than the second layer and the second layer has a tear resistance greater than the first layer. The first layer may be formed of polyester and the second layer may be formed of high density polyethylene.
The first and second layers are preferably secured to one another by a layer of hanger adhesive interposed therebetween. Moreover, the first layer, the second layer, and the layer of hanger adhesive are preferably substantially coextensive. The first and second layers may be secured to one another by mechanical adhesion or welding as well.
Photo-luminescent material may be printed on one or both of the first and second layers or may be included in an adhesive securing the layers to one another.
The ends of the legs may be secured to an upper surface of the base label by an anchoring adhesive. Further, each of the first and second layers may extend beyond the hanger with the hanger defined by cut lines formed through the first and second layers. At least a portion of at least one of the first and second layers outside of the hanger is secured to the upper surface of the base label by the anchoring adhesive.
In some embodiments, each of the first and second film layers is formed of polyester film.
The hanger may include at least three superimposed polymeric film layers.
The base label may have an upper surface with indicia disposed on the upper surface of the base label. Moreover, at least a portion of the indicia may underlie the hanger when the hanger lies adjacent the upper surface of the base label in a stored position. Preferably, each of the layers of the hanger is formed from a transparent material, whereby the at least a portion of the indicia is visible through the hanger when the hanger is in the stored position.
The present invention is further directed to a method for forming a label for displaying information regarding a container and suspending the container from a support. The method includes providing a first web having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a first adhesive coating the lower surface thereof. A second adhesive is applied to at least one of the upper surface of the first web and a lower surface of a second web, the second web including at least first and second superimposed layers. The second web is married to the first such that a portion of the lower surface of the second web is secured to the upper surface of the first web by the second adhesive. The second web is cut down through each of the first and second layers and to the first web to form a hanger therein. The first web is cut through to form a base label therein.
The method may include the step of removing a second web waste matrix following the step of cutting the second web. Preferably, in such case, the step of cutting the second web to form the hanger includes forming a hanger having at least two spaced apart legs, and the step of removing the second web waste matrix includes removing an interior waste portion forming a part of the second web and defined between the legs of the hanger.
The method may further include the step of applying a third layer of adhesive between the first and second layers of the second web. A first web waste matrix may be removed following the step of cutting the base web. The method may further include the step of printing on the first web. A release varnish may be selectively applied to the upper surface of the first web prior to marrying the second web to the first web.
Each of first and second layers of the second web may be a polymeric film. Preferably, the first layer has a tensile strength greater than the second layer and the second layer has a tear resistance greater than the first layer. Preferably, each of the first and second layers is substantially transparent.
The present invention is further directed to a hanger having at least two interconnected legs defining an opening therebetween. Each of the legs has a respective end. The hanger includes at least first and second superimposed polymeric film layers.
Preferably, in the label as just described, the first layer has a tensile strength greater than the second layer and the second layer has a tear resistance greater than the first layer. The first layer is preferably formed of polyester and the second layer is preferably formed of high density polyethylene. Preferably, each of the first and second layers is substantially transparent.
The first and second layers may be secured to one another by a layer of hanger adhesive interposed therebetween. The first layer, the second layer, and the layer of hanger adhesive are preferably substantially coextensive. The first and second layers may be secured to one another by mechanical adhesion or welding as well.
Photo-luminescent material may be printed on one or both of the first and second layers or may be included in an adhesive securing the layers to one another.
In some embodiments, the hanger includes at least three superimposed polymeric film layers.
In some embodiments, each of the first and second superimposed polymeric film layers are formed of polyester film.
The present invention is further directed to a label for displaying information regarding a container and suspending the container from a support as follows. The label includes a base label having a lower surface. A base adhesive is disposed on the lower surface for affixing the label to the container. A hanger is provided having at least two interconnected legs defining an opening therebetween, each of the legs having a respective end. Each of the ends of the legs is secured to the base label. The hanger includes a scrim and a backing layer secured to the scrim.
The backing layer may be a polymeric film. Preferably, the backing layer and the scrim are each transparent. The backing layer may be secured to the scram by adhesive. A second backing layer may be secured to the scrim, with the first and second backing layers disposed on opposed surfaces of the scrim. Preferably, the second backing layer is also transparent.
The present invention is further directed to a hanger having at least two interconnected legs defining an opening therebetween. Each of the legs has a respective end. The hanger includes a scrim and a backing layer secured to the scrim. Preferably, the hanger is constructed as described above.
An object of the present invention is to provide a hanger for suspending goods or packaging which is strong, stretch resistant, and tear resistant.
Moreover, an object of the present invention is to provide a label for identifying and displaying information regarding goods contained in a package such as a bottle which includes such a hanger for suspending the associated goods or packing.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a label as described above which will support relatively large loads without tearing or stretching.
An object of the present invention is to provide such a label and hanger wherein the hanger is substantially transparent so that indicia disposed on the label and underneath the hanger is not hidden from view.
Moreover, an object of the present invention is to provide a hanger and a label as described above which may be conveniently and cost effectively manufactured.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for forming hangers and labels as described above.
The preceding and further objects of the present invention will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art from a reading of the Figures and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment which follow, such description being merely illustrative of the present invention.